Sick chicken week 3 now-diarrhea

[Wyorp Rock]

Worth noting when she first got sick she had diarreah and also a few of the poops in this photo-yellow and smooth 1 1/2 inch in size.

Oh, That’s the missing piece of the puzzle right there.

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Right you are Miss Stacey!
@pepperellchick that is not poop, that is a Lash Egg or Salpingitis which is inflammation of the oviduct.
With her stance, I would say she has more that need to be passed or she may have some in her abdomen as well. Lash Eggs (coagulated pus) can block the oviducts.
You can try an antibiotic like Baytril to see if she improves.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/
https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

 

[pepperellchick]

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Right you are Miss Stacey!
@pepperellchick that is not poop, that is a Lash Egg or Salpingitis which is inflammation of the oviduct.
With her stance, I would say she has more that need to be passed or she may have some in her abdomen as well. Lash Eggs (coagulated pus) can block the oviducts.
You can try an antibiotic like Baytril to see if she improves.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/
https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

Does the antibiotic normally work?

 

[staceyj]

Sometimes but not always.


Is there a veterinarian available to you?

That “blob” in your most recent photo is sometimes called a lash egg.
But it’s not actually an egg.

Sometimes chickens have reproductive diseases or disorders.
A disorder would be when a yolk is released by the ovary but as it travels through the system, it doesn’t get the rest of the egg built around it.

It may sit there clogging up the workings. Then as the body tries to deal with it, it becomes engulfed in infectious material (pus) which in a bird, is hard and waxy.

Sometimes these things are only a one time occurrence and the blob comes out and the chicken recovers.

But other times this is only a hint of more serious trouble,
as the oviduct can be infected throughout and

Meanwhile these yolks keep coming along on the assembly line and either get jammed up too because of pus or sometimes drop down into the abdominal cavity and cause peritonitis because they are decomposing. This is why we’ve inquired about her belly and how it feels.


@Wyorp Rock put some really good links in her comment for you to read.

They are much better explanations and far more accurate than mine.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with Wyorp Rock and Staceyj that is appears to be a lash egg which is a symptom of salpingitis, an infection in the oviduct. Antibiotics may help, but may not. You can see a vet for advice, but at some point, if she appears to be suffering, I would think about putting her down. Some hens can live for months or a year with this, but can develop fluid in the abdomen from ascites or suffer. If using antibiotics to treat this, Baytril is one of the best ones. A local vet may prescribe it or you can get the pigeon Baytril which works as well. Sorry, but many of us have seen hens with this in our laying hens.

 

[pepperellchick]

Sometimes but not always.


Is there a veterinarian available to you?

That “blob” in your most recent photo is sometimes called a lash egg.
But it’s not actually an egg.

Sometimes chickens have reproductive diseases or disorders.
A disorder would be when a yolk is released by the ovary but as it travels through the system, it doesn’t get the rest of the egg built around it.

It may sit there clogging up the workings. Then as the body tries to deal with it, it becomes engulfed in infectious material (pus) which in a bird, is hard and waxy.

Sometimes these things are only a one time occurrence and the blob comes out and the chicken recovers.

But other times this is only a hint of more serious trouble,
as the oviduct can be infected throughout and

Meanwhile these yolks keep coming along on the assembly line and either get jammed up too because of pus or sometimes drop down into the abdominal cavity and cause peritonitis because they are decomposing. This is why we’ve inquired about her belly and how it feels.


@Wyorp Rock put some really good links in her comment for you to read.

They are much better explanations and far more accurate than mine.

Thank you. I don't know of a vet that handles chickens and she may be too far along for the antibiotic to help if it is viral...

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about salpingitis and lash eggs:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/disorders-of-the-reproductive-system/salpingitis-in-poultry

https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

 

[pepperellchick]

I agree with Wyorp Rock and Staceyj that is appears to be a lash egg which is a symptom of salpingitis, an infection in the oviduct. Antibiotics may help, but may not. You can see a vet for advice, but at some point, if she appears to be suffering, I would think about putting her down. Some hens can live for months or a year with this, but can develop fluid in the abdomen from ascites or suffer. If using antibiotics to treat this, Baytril is one of the best ones. A local vet may prescribe it or you can get the pigeon Baytril which works as well. Sorry, but many of us have seen hens with this in our laying hens.

Thank you. I will call a vet and see what they think but we are thinking we may have to put her down. :-(

 

[staceyj]

Thank you. I don't know of a vet that handles chickens and she may be too far along for the antibiotic to help if it is viral...

Its possible that this is far along seeing that you’ve been dealing with her doing poorly for weeks but I want you to know it’s not viral. Meaning it isn’t something that chickens catch from one another. It’s just her.

The infection is caused by bacterial that the decomposing egg matter is producing inside her.
Editing here to add that
I’m so sorry this is happening. It’s very obvious that you have taken excellent care of her and have patiently tried everything to support her through her illness.

 

[pepperellchick]

Thank you. I don't know of a vet that handles chickens and she may be too far along for the antibiotic to help if it is viral...

Thank you for clarifying. The vet can prescribe Baytril but only if a professional orders it for her so she would need to be "seen". They don't see chickens at this vet. I can order Baytril online (thank you Backyard Chicken community-you all rock!) but I am reading a lot online and I think the odds of it working are very slim. She is all puffed up and uncomfortable looking. She is our favorite of our 4 hens, the best personality...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Does the antibiotic normally work?

Thank you. I will call a vet and see what they think but we are thinking we may have to put her down. :-(

I am reading a lot online and I think the odds of it working are very slim. She is all puffed up and uncomfortable looking. She is our favorite of our 4 hens, the best personality...

It's good that you are doing some reading to get a better understanding of what you are dealing with.
Antibiotics may help prolong life if caught early enough. Some hens are able to bounce back after passing some lash material, there would still be infection in the oviduct, generally there is more material in there, over time that builds up, she may pass more or become impacted, it's very hard to know. Often a hen never passes the lash material and it's discovered during necropsy.

Since she has been like this for 3 weeks and looking at her stance, I would hazard a guess that she has more in there. If she does not show improvement with Baytril, then, imho, the best thing for her would be to end her suffering.
I'm very sorry.